Improvement in corsets



EMILIE J. MERIMAN, 0F NEW YRK, N. Y.l

V Lette/rs Patent No. 86,570, dated February 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORSETS.

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The Schedule referred to in these Letters atent and making part of the same.

To all to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMILIE J. MERIMAN, of New York city, county oil New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corsets; and I do hereby declare that the following is at full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view, and

Figure 2, a back view of' the corset.

'lhenature of my invention or improvement consists in the adaptation l of corsets to the necessities, health, comfort, and lcom/eni'eu'ce"of pregnant women, and also in adapting them to the requirements of nursing-women.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The general form ofthe article does not vary essentially from the common article of commerce, it being made of the ordinary materials, and cut and shaped as may suit the taste of the manufacturer.

It may be divided at the back, and provided with a means of adjustment at that point, as shown in tig. 2, and be made to fasten at the front in the usual manner, t'. e., by a busk and clips, this being the common mode of adjusting corsets.

It is also provided with buttons, a, or with hooks or other attachments upon the lower portion, to which the skirts are attached.

Shoulder-straps, b, may be provided, to sustain the weight of the garments supported by the corset.

Thus far I have described devices common yto this articleof apparel.

It is a well-known fact, that women in the state of pregnancy are unable to wear the ordinary corset, es-

. pecially so as the period of gestation advances, for the reason that it is so limited in its form and adjustability as to prevent its adaptation to the" increasing size ofthe wearer, for though it may be unloosed at the back, and allowed to increase circnmferentially, it at once becomes distorted, and loses its character as a corset or supporter.

To render a corset adjustable to the size and shape of the wearer, and to render it wearable during the entire period of gestation, I provide a lacing, c c, at each side of the corset, at or near the arm-point, extending throughout its length, and may, if found desirable, have another lacing, midway between the side-lacings and the front fastening. This latter adjusting-lacing need extend but a short distance from the lower edge of the corset.

These lacing-adjustments being like that usually employed at the back of corsets, it is not necessary to describe their construction. I will remark, however, that any of the known modes of attachment and adjustment for corsets may be employed. If desiredian At the breast-portion d, which may be formed with gores, or in any other known manner, I divide the corset in a vertical direction, so as to form iiaps, which overlap each other sufiiciently to provide a means for attaching the parts together, which is eiected by buttons, hooks, or lacing-cords. Thus is provided a means whereby a mother may nurse her child without removing or unlacing her corset.

I purpose forming my article with very light whalebone sti'eners, which are inserted at proper points to retain the article in proper shape.

At the front, where a metal busk and clips are usually employed for attaching the parts together, I provide the slight whaleboue stifieners, and attach the parts together by buttons, or hooks andV eyes.

In general, my corset is made as pliable and elastic as its nature will permit, the object being to premete the convenience, health, and comfort of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, is-

l. A corset, provided with one or more adjustments at its side, extending throughout its length, suhstan tially as shown and described. j

2. In combination therewith, the adjustable breastportion, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, this 20th day of lIanuary,` 1869.

EMILIE J. MERIllzIAN. Witnesses:

- HENRY T. Munson,

H. L. Jones. 

